An excellent sequel to The Eyre Affair. Thursday is pregnant but Landen, the love of her life, is eradicated by Goliath and French revisionists. She mAn excellent sequel to The Eyre Affair. Thursday is pregnant but Landen, the love of her life, is eradicated by Goliath and French revisionists. She must find a way to get him back. On top of that, she is inducted into the world of Jurisfiction with Miss Havisham.

It was very fun, funny, fast paced, and heart felt. I loved how the took the literary and text jokes even further such as communicating through footnotes of finding an impostor using undedicated dialogue. I also found the concept of entropy and 'being killed by conincidences' very clever. I was sad when Thursday didn't get Landen back at the end but that gives me incentive to keep reading in the hopes that some day she does get her love back. ...more

I really enjoyed this book. Most urban or comic fantasy novels that I've read have presented some form of an introduction but this book dives straightI really enjoyed this book. Most urban or comic fantasy novels that I've read have presented some form of an introduction but this book dives straight in. It took me a minute to catch up and catch on but once I did I immensely enjoyed the ride. There are several little literary jokes and witticisms such as the how the Duke of Wellington died. I had to Google some of the characters but almost all who do not have puns for names are an allusion to a different work (e.g. Landen's fiancee). I would only recommend this to other book lovers because of this. It was fun, different and had an excellent ending....more

I read the first few chapters in a book store when it first came out. I was glad to finally read it. It was a calm book. It had easy, slow pacing. ItI read the first few chapters in a book store when it first came out. I was glad to finally read it. It was a calm book. It had easy, slow pacing. It fit with the theme of books, reading, collecting. These are not hurried, fast paced things. In addition to history and some basic background, Bartlett present us with an interesting cast of characters. She meets dealers, collectors, experts, shop owners, and, of course, the thief.

Gilkey reads as having a sociopathic personality disorder. He wants things he can’t have so it’s not fair. If getting what he wanted might have hurt people, he found a way to transfer the blame. There was no way, in his mind, that getting what he thought he deserved could be bad or wrong. Whether he deserved it was never a question.

He’s in no way sympathetic. I never rooted for him and wanted to see him fall. I hope every book he ever stole is taken from him. His story is interesting and deserves telling but it was never Gilkey I wanted to see prevail. I enjoyed seeing Sanders take him down. I wish it happened more often. It was an enjoyable read but only if speaks to you....more

Ah how I’ve missed the Thursday Next universe. It’s 14 years later and Thursday is not the Chronoguard hopeful but a hairy, unresponsive teenager. SpeAh how I’ve missed the Thursday Next universe. It’s 14 years later and Thursday is not the Chronoguard hopeful but a hairy, unresponsive teenager. Special Ops has been disbanded, ReadRates are down, and Thursday is running Acme Carpets when she’s not being a wife and mother. Or is she...

Thursday is still working for Jurisfiction and secretly running SpecialOps programs through Acme Carpets but is keeping it a secret from Landon. ReadRates are down and there is an impending genre war between Feminist and Ecclesiastical against Racy Novel. And that is only the beginning.

This one definitely had more subplots than previous novels and since it’s the first in a series, it doesn’t wrap them up as neatly as one would like. It also ends on a major cliffhanger that I’m very curious to see through. Because of all the involved subplots and reoccurring characters, it’s definitely a book for fans but what should anyone else expect for the 5th book in a series?

Since this is the is the first in a new series of 4, I’m curious to see what else Fforde has up his sleeve for this new collection....more

Staal began this book by auditing Fem Texts at her alma mater when the famous feminist book The Feminine Mystique suddenly rang very true to her. FromStaal began this book by auditing Fem Texts at her alma mater when the famous feminist book The Feminine Mystique suddenly rang very true to her. From here we discover Staal’s life as a mother, freelance writer, wife, and woman and how they relate to what she’s reading in her class.

I have read several different contemporary feminist texts and what I really liked about this one was that it made feminism personal. It dealt with some of the issues that get glossed over today. Like how women try to have the family and career and only manage to get stuck with the second shift or how women are made to feel selfish for putting their needs above anyone else’s and being a mother compounds this. Stall admits she’s just one person and doesn’t have all the answers but she doesn’t pretend the problem doesn’t exist either.

The various issues with the texts Staal related back to the issues she was dealing with in her everyday life. One of my favorite scenes was when Staal started living with her future husband and he went from having a clean apartment and doing his laundry every week to letting mold grow on the dirty dishes, leaving his dirty socks everywhere, and not doing the chores asked of him. Staal found a very memorable way of making him wake up to his behavior. It made this Staal’s story, not a text that was supposed to apply to everyone.

I also liked the background on the various text and writers she was studying. It was very helpful to engage me in the discussion Staal had with herself and her classmates. It was intelligent, engaging, and surprisingly easy to read. This is definitely one of my new favorites....more

While some of the quotes were funny and almost too silly for nonfiction, they started repeating toward the end. Some were also incredibly condescendinWhile some of the quotes were funny and almost too silly for nonfiction, they started repeating toward the end. Some were also incredibly condescending.

I got it as a free ebook and it was a fair price. I wouldn't spend money on this collection until it was refined...more

I always liked the idea of being a librarian but I wanted to hear real accounts of the downsides of the job. Saint-Laurent informs you of the hazardsI always liked the idea of being a librarian but I wanted to hear real accounts of the downsides of the job. Saint-Laurent informs you of the hazards while still maintaining humor. The only downside would be some of the foul language. I have no problem with a few 4 letter words but even I don't like the C word, especially in print. All in all, worth the read since I got it as a free e-book. I definitely got my money's worth....more

I did not like this book. It’s a fish-out-of-water tale where Israel Armstrong moves from London to northern Ireland to be a librarian. As are many smI did not like this book. It’s a fish-out-of-water tale where Israel Armstrong moves from London to northern Ireland to be a librarian. As are many small communities, Israel has a rough transition that is exacerbated by almost every member of the community. He’s so hapless that his continual misfortunes don’t garner an abundance of sympathy. I did not find a single character in this book likable.

He also must solve the mystery of the missing library books which goes just as badly as his transition to his life in northern Ireland. If I’m reading a mystery, I wanted the character to do something other than make a royal ass of himself at every turn. Calling this a ‘mystery novel’ requires a great stretch of the imagination.

I could see several instances where some people might appreciate this. There are plenty of instances of schadenfreude and subtle yet rambling humor. I’d also imagine they appeal to someone with a British sense of humor. However, hard as I tried, I did not like this book....more

A classic work of science-fiction that is even more relevant today than ever. Society refuses to be sad or depressed. Intellectualism is depressing anA classic work of science-fiction that is even more relevant today than ever. Society refuses to be sad or depressed. Intellectualism is depressing and can make other people feel stupid therefore it went. Now it’s all about TV and condensing once great novels into 15 minutes or less. If you dare have books, if you dare be different, if you don’t plug into the TV when you get home, you will be punished. You will burn.

People say it’s a tale of censorship but Bradbury pointed out that censorship only happened when the world stopped thinking and reading voluntarily. In a world where I’ve seen too many people taunt their dislike of books in 140 characters or less, he may be more prophetic than we first thought.

I only have one complaint about this work. It’s trying too hard to be flowing poetry. Bradbury’s short stories are amazing because of their lyrical nature. Unfortunately the thing that makes his short stories so lovely made this novel harder to read.

Some poetry is great but if Bradbury had shot a little straighter, I would have loved this rather than liked it. Stop trying to make everything exceedingly meaningful and pretty and just tell me what’s going on. Sometimes the work will hit a little harder if you add some grit. The 451 world is perfect for grit and grime because it’s so deep in denial against it.

I had to read the graphic novel to fully appreciate the work because Bradbury’s lack of exposition and consistently fruity prose made the novel hard to read at times. It’s still a must-read for everyone but I think you should add in the visually retelling if you catch yourself scratching your head....more

Lucy Hull is a first-generation Russian-American working as a children’s librarian in Hannibal, Missouri. She has a special fondness for her favoriteLucy Hull is a first-generation Russian-American working as a children’s librarian in Hannibal, Missouri. She has a special fondness for her favorite patron Ian, a ten-year-old who loves to read but his reading habits are hindered by religious parents. As Ian becomes more withdrawn, Lucy becomes more concerned. One day, Ian decides to finally escape and Lucy goes with him on a very interesting journey.

This was a really interesting take on the road novel. Most road novels have a goal or a destination. I think the ultimate, unspoken goal for both Lucy and Ian is the discovery of self. Lucy is somewhat aimless in her personal life and work and hasn’t fully reconciled what the Russian (and Russian mob) part of her identity mean. Ian is at a crucial point in his life where his parents are trying to mold him into who they want him to be. Ian isn’t old enough to properly decide if that’s what he wants but part of him knows he doesn’t like it hence the pseudo-kidnapping road trip.

Due it’s lack of specific direction, it definitely dragged in parts but overall this was a very fun and enjoyable book....more

The Thursday Next series is one of my favorite series to date. Fforde is a reader’s writer with a fantastic literary wit and cleverness. That being saThe Thursday Next series is one of my favorite series to date. Fforde is a reader’s writer with a fantastic literary wit and cleverness. That being said, this book is told from the written Thursday’s point of view, not the point of view of the real Thursday from the previous 5 books.

The shift in view points definitely took some getting used to because written Thursday (wT) really was almost but not quite real Thursday (rT). You could see her short falls but you could also feel her insecurities about not measuring up. I enjoyed the new characters but it took some getting used to since it wasn’t about the character we’ve come to know and love; it was like her lesser stunt double.

Because it wasn’t the rT it wasn’t as good as the previous books. wT doesn’t deduce as quickly as rT so the story moves slower. wT also doesn’t have the zany relatives or coworkers that helped flesh out the other series. Something was lost by making wT such a loner but I supposed it also aided to the setting in BookWorld. Speaking of BookWorld, I missed the old gigantic library but the new story required the new set up.

I did enjoy the definite presence of Vanity and Fan Fiction. This new take on TN gained something by changing the rules of BookWorld. It might not have worked if Fforde changed it with the perspective of rT.

The backstory subplot with Whitby is an excellent parallel to Thursday fighting to get Landen reactualized for the first several books. I have a feeling that the written Thursday will get her man by the time this series of installments is over just like the real Thursday did. The only hard part is waiting for the next couple of books to get there. What can I say? I’m a sucker for a happy ending for my favorite characters.

While this was probably my least favorite of the Thursday Next series, that by no means makes it a bad book. It’s still a very fun read with clever jokes and interesting characters with a new-ish setting. It’s a fresh take on the existing world of TN. This is absolutely some of the best stuff out there and I continue to love this series. I just didn’t love this one as much as the others....more

I loved the sound of this book. As a bibliophile, it seemed like a really fun read. I expected someone who loved books in all incarnations. Instead II loved the sound of this book. As a bibliophile, it seemed like a really fun read. I expected someone who loved books in all incarnations. Instead I got someone who either ignored or bashed most of what I like to read.

I strongly suspect Leto is a genre snob. Classic and contemporary literature are ubiquitous but everything else gets a quick nod or is skipped entirely. She mentions romances to mock them, mysteries never, and only classic sci-fi (Clarke, Heinlein, Asimov, etc). If there was any mention of contemporary genre or speculative fiction, I missed it.

Leto claims to love memoirs by celebrity relatives but you wouldn’t know it from the way she talks about them. Most of what she said about memoirs and essays lead me to believe she’s annoyed by their existence. If she hadn’t outright said she loved them, I’d have never known.

The how-to-fake-it section was interesting, helpful, and introduced me to some books I want to read. It started fun then dragged then stopped being compelling and just something to get through.

It either needed to be broken up or some authors should have been cut. I have never had to fake having read Zadie Smith among many others. And for all the authors included, Jane Austen was omitted.

I know Leto hates chick lit but most women and some men have had to fake having read something by Austen at some point. I’ve read a lot of articles touting the reasons why Jane Austen should be considered classic literature instead of highbrow chick lit. I suspect Leto omitted Austen because it’s not literati cannon and is therefore beneath her.

I wasn’t nuts about the narrative structure either. The book was split between Leto’s life and bits from her blog. If it had been all of one or the other or divided so it was read that way, it would have better flow. This just felt disjointed and cobbled together.

Leto had plenty of interesting things to say, especially in the final chapter. She has talent and I would love to see it somewhere else. Parts were fun but as a whole? I give it an unenthused meh....more

There are reoccurring villains I was pleased to see return but it’s not Thursday as weI was so excited to read the latest installment in this series.

There are reoccurring villains I was pleased to see return but it’s not Thursday as we always knew her. Still on the mend from injuries sustained in the last book, she’s not quite herself when facing these old foes.

The story is a bit unusual in that it takes place over a few days, something Fforde hasn’t done in this series. In that time Thursday has to help divert a smiting, thwart Goliath, run a library, help Friday readjust to never running the Chronoguard, and support Tuesday in her genius.

Fforde crams a vast amount of detail and plot lines into a short timeframe but fans were prepared based on his previous books. If you’re not a fan, don’t start here. You will be so many versions of lost. Go back to the first book (The Eyre Affair) and work your way here. It’s worth it.

Bookworld didn’t have as much of role as it once did but it will play a critical role in the next book which I eagerly anticipate. Thursday is about to go where few have ever gone before.

The tone here was very different from the last books. I think most of that is because Thursday is aging and on the mend. We're used to her being like Phoebe Smalls and it's definitely a change. I'm curious to see where Fforde takes this Thursday and whatever is to become of printed Thursday....more

Samantha Moore grew up in the foster care system and hid in works of literature. When she accepts a scholarship for a graduate degree in journalism, hSamantha Moore grew up in the foster care system and hid in works of literature. When she accepts a scholarship for a graduate degree in journalism, her true self finally comes out.

The story is primarily told through the letters Samantha sends her benefactor known only as Mr. Knightley. It is only through these letters Sam finally lets her guard down and that we finally see how emotionally fragile she is. She hides behind the words of her favorite characters to keep anyone from getting too close.

The struggles Sam faces at journalism school and with the new relationships she forms show fragility typical of an Austen heroine rather than a child of the system. I think Sam’s character was sheltered in a way that’s a little unrealistic but Reay manages to make believable. There were moments some of Mr. Knightley’s gifts felt a little contrived but it adds to Sam’s Cinderella factor.

One of the things that were initially off-putting was that this is classified as Christian fiction. I’ve had some negative experiences with some very devout followers so I wasn’t sure if this was for me. Christianity turned out to be a minimal element. The characters clearly have faith but in a very respectful and subtle way. It shows my favorite aspects of Christianity: quality people trying to improve the world around them.

I think being classified as Christian fiction instead of simply fiction will be detrimental for sales and keep this book from reaching a wider audience that would appreciate it. I certainly enjoyed it and I know other secular readers will too....more